§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the average length of time families of victims have to wait for an inquest;
(2) what is the average number of hours worked weekly by coroners.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerI regret that this information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what services victims' families can receive from coroners courts.
§ Mr. Nicholas BakerCoroners are appointed by local authorities to investigate sudden and unexplained deaths in the general interest of the community. The provision of coroners courts is a local authority responsibility, but the Home Office publishes a free explanatory leaflet, "The Work of the Coroner", which coroners are encouraged to make widely available and which describes the responsibilities of the coroner and offers guidance to those who may be involved in an inquest. I am placing a copy in the Library.